[ Jessica Rodriguez ]

Group // CoCoMaMa/Independent

Stick  // Tito De Gracia Model

Jessica Rodriguez was born in NYC to Puerto Rican parents and, like so many other Nuyoricans, she was constantly surrounded by the sounds of Salsa from an early age. However, she was first inspired and motivated to play when, at age 13, she saw renowned percussionist Marc Quiñones perform at Madison Square Garden. Two years later, she began her study of timbales at the Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts in East Harlem. There, she flourished under the instruction of Tito Puente's musical director Jose Madera Jr., Johnny Almendra, and Mauricio Herrera.

On October 21, 2003, Jessica and three other members of Ramon Rodriguez's Harbor Latin Youth Ensemble were awarded scholarships from the Foundation of the recently departed Latin icon Celia Cruz. Of these four students, Jessica and two others were selected to perform with Venezuelan Salsa sensation Oscar D'Leon in tribute to Celia at the 2004 Billboard Latin Music Awards in Miami, Florida. Jessica was later featured with the Harbor Latin Youth Ensemble on Telemundo's morning TV program Despierta America and in the January 9, 2006 issue of People Magazine. Within the same year she appeared in the PBS documentary “Mi Mambo”, a profile of the Harbor Conservatory and its young musicians and performers. In May of 2008, she graduated from Queensborough Community College, majoring in Music/Performing Arts.

Widely recognized as one of Latin percussion's most promising rising talents, Jessica has been invited to sit in with the likes of the Grammy Award winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Nelson Gonzalez & Orq. alongside the legendary Nicky Marrero, Ralph Irrizarry, Chino Nuñez, Marc Quiñones and Bobby Allende's Ocho y Mas, Papo Vasquez y Los Piratas del Caribe featuring the amazing Anthony Carrillo and percussionists Richie Flores and Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, just to name a few. Jessica has toured with the international salsa group N'Klabe playing bongos and timbales. She is currently a member of CoCoMaMa, an all-female Salsa/World band with a growing audience and recent radio debut, as well as the Billy Carrion Orchestra, and has recorded with both.

Jessica has never been content with being recognized just because of the novelty of her being a female percussionist in a male-dominated arena. For this reason, she has dedicated herself to the music, studying and training incessantly, pushing herself to achieve a level of mastery that will bring her recognition in and of itself. Some are destined to succeed, some are determined to succeed. Jessica Rodriguez may be destined to succeed, but it is her determination that will eliminate chance from the equation as she continues in her pursuits as a percussionist.